The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1887-01-14
WILD HORSES,
T-o erandest sight. on the Plains.


had camped near the forks Of the
Ti-,te,- and was aroused just at day-
j 1T by footsteps around me. After
listening for a moment l felt sure that
they were the footsteps OF horses. They
seemed TO be circling around me-not
at a canter-not at a trOt, but at = mod
crate walk.
1t was well that I had secured my
horse in thorough manner, for never
saw him so excited. He tugged and
pulled at his lariat, stood up on his
hind legs, neighed and snorted. paved
and pranced and it was his actions that
gave me q clue to the identity OF my
visitors.
They were wild horsesl
Had they been Indian ponies my trained
horse would have remained as dumb and
silent as a post. Indeed, Indians would
not have approached me In that manner.
remained very quiet hoping the
horses would remain in sight until day
light should give me a good view of
them. I had to wait for a full hour, but
when the light grew strong the spectacle
was ono to make mans blood tingle.
The circle had been enlarged until It
was half a mile across, and my little
camp was the center. Every horse,
and there were 129 Of them, stood with
his head TO this center. and soldiers
could not have taken positions on the
shlIAllol llAiE III lllOAt iAGNASC SANANA.
/ piticd my own animal He stood
with the lariat drawn taut and trembled
In every limb. and he was as wet with
sweat as II l had galloped him twenty
miles. 1 realized how he must long
to break away and join the wild rovers
and forever end his drudgery.
/ dared not rise TO my feet for fear
Of alarming the drove, but, neverthe-
less, I had a clear view OF each horse.
Most OF them were magnificent animals.
Names down on their shoulders and
tails on the grass. They were OF various
colors, and they ranged in age from the
yearling colt up to the veterans probably
20 years old. The bays predominated,
but every color was present.
We had been observing each other
about ten minutes when q let-black
stallion, who was the leader OF the herd,
gave n snort. threw UP his heels into
the air and broke of at a gallop, fol
lowed by the drove in single iiic- They
ran In a true circle, and they made the
circuit five times before stopping. Then,
at another signal from the leader, the
circle broke and the horses wheeled
into long. single line, or " company
front
Troop horses could not have done
b.ttcr. / thought at first the line meant
to charge me, but at q signal it made
LEFT wheel and gallOped straight on
on the plain for a mile. Then il
broke, assumed the shape Of triangle
and returned.
When the leader was within pistoi-shot
he wheeled out and the horses formed
in q square with the four yearliugs ia
the center. They gaIloPed OF for mile
OF So broke again and returned IN two
ranks.
had an almost irresistible desire to
kill the leader with a bullet. Indeed, I
reached for my rifle with that intent,
but then came the reflection that II
would be little short OF murder. Such
another perfect horse l had never seen.
His black coat shone like silk, his
limbs and body were perfection, and he
had the speed and bottom Of a race
horse.
Not halt was made for fun hour,
and it was only preparatory TO taking a
swift departure. The last maneuyer was
circle at slow trot, and each horse
.lanied in a c1aNing manner 10 my own
led.
Poor Seliml He struggled in the
most frantic manner to break loose,
q when finding all his efforts Of no
all he threw himself down on the
grass AID actually srOancd his disap-
I-.stIugrt. -.azs
rose up then and waved my blanket
Instead brushing OF in alright, as l had
expected, the leader OF the band de-
Eaerltolv approached me a few rods
ard stood and snOrted and paved as il
sending forth challenge.
Then 1 set up a shouting, waved the
blanket some more, and lie took his
place at the head formed the band at
d" company front" and they went of at =
Callop and maintained it Is long as l
could see the waving line Detroit Free
Press.